While some businesses continue to roll back their DEI initiatives, the new provisions of the European Accessibility Act aren’t going anywhere soon. New data from enterprise CMS company Storyblok identifies that only 25% of European businesses are fully prepared to comply with the Act’s provisions.
Introduced in 2019, the Act aims to eliminate barriers for those with disabilities when it comes to accessing technology and services. It promotes inclusivity across various industries, including digital platforms. As part of this, businesses must ensure that any new products and services they offer adhere to the accessibility standards outlined by the Act by 28 June 2025.
The Act applies to any business providing products and services to EU citizens, meaning companies outside the EU need to comply, similar to GDPR. While businesses are adding greater accessibility support, there is still much more for firms to do.
The clock is ticking for the European Accessibility Act
According to an extensive analysis of 200 European senior professionals involved in digital accessibility, only 47.5% of companies are fully aware of the regulations and have a solid understanding of the Act. A third (34%) say they are somewhat aware of the Act but need more information. Of concern, a fifth (18.5%) admit they are unaware of the Act’s requirements, despite the serious potential legal and financial ramifications of non-compliance.
The State of Web Accessibility: Are European companies ready for the June 28th, 2025 deadline? research also reveals that 46.5% of businesses feel somewhat prepared but still have work to do. Almost a third (28.5%) lack confidence about their company’s level of preparation, of which 16% acknowledge they are not prepared at all.
In terms of the process of adapting their digital products and services to comply with the EAA, just 19.5% say they have made most of the changes required. 46.5% are still in the process and 24.5% say they haven’t started yet, but plan to. Most worryingly, 9.5% say they have no plans to make the required changes at the current time putting them at serious risk of non-compliance.
“Compliance with the European Accessibility Act isn’t just about adhering to another piece of red tape. It’s about creating inclusive experiences that benefit all possible users.” said Dominik Angerer, co-dounder of Storyblok, “Around 87 million people in Europe have a disability – equating to roughly one in every four adults. By failing to make their websites and content accessible to all, businesses will face legal complications and could be unknowingly isolating a huge potential chunk of business.” He added, I think it’s safe to assume that the level of awareness and compliance outside Europe is going to be even lower which could result in some unwelcome surprises in June for companies across the world.”
A positive wind of accessible change
Although many businesses are not yet fully prepared to meet the upcoming requirements of the Act, Storyblok notes that 53% of participants stated that accessibility is a top priority. The study also identifies challenges and barriers in building accessible digital experiences. These include limited resources (37.5%), technical limitations or a lack of suitable tools (22.5%), and difficulty integrating accessibility into existing workforces (15.5%).
Indicative of such limitations, only 27.5% of respondents said they feel their company has in-depth knowledge and understanding of digital accessibility standards. Yet, only 30.5% of companies regularly provide accessibility training for their employees. The good news, according to Storyblok, is that ensuring EAA compliance and, in turn, better accessibility doesn’t need to be costly or complex, but hinges on a greater understanding of the issues that can make a website difficult to use by certain people.
“Achieving EAA compliance is easier than many businesses think. Simple changes like improving colour contrast, adding alt text, and ensuring content is navigable by keyboard can have a big impact.” Dominik adds: “It’s also worth conducting a full website review to ensure every page is accessible. For example, testing with assistive technologies, such as screen readers and keyboard-only navigation, to see first-hand how the user experience differs and adjust accordingly. There are additional tools available, such as free accessibility website checks. Of course, with a headless CMS, such as Storyblok, it’s easier for companies to bake accessibility into their digital experiences from the ground up.”
From search engines to SaaS software and consumer apps, improving accessibility will help make them usable to an aging population and those with an increasing range of conditions. Advice like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 can provide any business with the information they need to make their sites and apps perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.